- Location
- brooklyn
I'm sure all if not most of you know of Pop Corals and the man behind it, John. Well we decided to link up and create a bigger, better and easier accessible store front for Pop Corals to expand and grow. So let me introduce myself,
Some of you may know me some may not but I can certainly say if you've been in the hobby for years and lived or visited Staten Island you and I have crossed paths. Yes, Lenny, Johhny J, dacaptain I'm talking about you guys!
I'm a hobbyist always but turned this into my career at a young age. I handle the retail aspect but my main thing is maintance and installations of aquariums. Sorry reefers I also do ponds, spillways, fountains, water features, brackish water and freshwater, I happen to love planted tanks!! I won't even go into my love for reptiles and all other creatures, but I can surely help you out on that note too.
I have worked in multiple places over the years which has given me tons of experience and knowledge but there is always more to learn and that's what keeps me so intrigued and interested. I know way more then the average but in the big picture I don't know much and realizing that helps me continue to learn and expand.
I have done and continue to do maintenance and installs for an array of people and events such as Kelly Ripa, A couple Princes of Saudi Arabia (yes there are multiples in NYC), Cc sabathia, Ben Affleck, Jorge Posada, hedge fund owners, Staten Island Ferry tanks (not the original, actually another MR member and I set them up right before hurricane Sandy and then again after Sandy but they look amazing now) schools, day care centers, hospitals, clinics and a couple movies such as Men In Black and Wolf of Wall Street. I was even flown into Aruba by the Church of Scientology to install a custom Discus tank on their Yacht! Definitley and experience let me tell you, I was sent home with dvds and recieve weekly phone calls still a year later if you want a dvd let me know, it's actually Blu Ray haha, main benefit I got to go on as many free snorkeling trips in bonaire over the weekend as I wanted, Omg amazing I almost passed out every time I dove under because I didn't wanna come back up. Don't worry though I'm not high class, I don't like to shave and you will not break the bank, I'm actually surprised that security even let's me into these places. I am picky on what CONTRACT jobs I take though only because I can only do so many especially now that I manage Pop Corals and I can only do as much as the client is willing to put out for their aquarium, example aptasia problem but you won't buy anything to kill it and I do not want that sort of aquarium associated with me. I can't give you an amazing reef if you wanna use tap water and a canister filter, can that be done absolutely but I'm not your guy. If I'm not 100% percent confident in the equipment on site and we cannot discusse possible options then more then likely I will not have a contract with you. If it is just a random here or there maintance NO CONTRACT then your wish is my command as long as I know I'm not hurting any livestock.
Okay with all that being said, I know most of us on here are hobbyists and enjoy working on our tanks ourselves. If you aren't one of those people and like to enjoy your aquarium without putting in the time and effort to maintain it please feel free to call for an consultation.
And now for the hobbyists, whenever you are on vacation and you need someone to take care of your baby (not the crying pooping type that's out of my league) whether it be water changes or just to feed, top off and keep an eye on livestock while your gone I am always available to do that. In those cases if your aquarium is doing good I prefer to mimic exactly what your doing even if I don't personally practice it. I know first hand we have some unorthodox people on here I don't know I think they are "renegades" or something like that I myself do not "renegade"but if you do and it works for you then I'd rather "renegade" then CHANGE what's working for you because that's where problems occur also I have visited some of these "renegades" aquariums and though not my method I can't knock it when tanks look that good(Dubs), the proof is tank.
last thing I promise, my normal maintance includes cleaning of all panels inside and out (I say panels because I work with glass and acrylic), clean substrate, inspect livestock and equipment, service equipment as needed, change/rinse filter socks and or pads, test parameters, my parameter testing varies between tanks but your gaurenteed ph, salinity, nitrate, nitrite, Ammonia temperature for the fowlrs and reef(if I see a problem I will test others, established tanks I usually do not bother testing nitrites and Ammonia).For the reef tests add calcium, magnesium,alkalinity, phosphate, potassium(our heavy sps guys) to that list. Also every visit I bring with me and fill out a maintenance log with all details to go along with it so you and I have an ongoing record of everything possible from visit to visit and of course recommendations if I feel something isn't right or will help.
If any members on here refer a client to me, in return you come by the store, and we hook you up more then Pop Corals already does which is just unbeatable, obviously a one time job isn't going to get you the same result as a contract but regardless your making out!
Sorry for the long postings, Thanks Allen
Some of you may know me some may not but I can certainly say if you've been in the hobby for years and lived or visited Staten Island you and I have crossed paths. Yes, Lenny, Johhny J, dacaptain I'm talking about you guys!
I'm a hobbyist always but turned this into my career at a young age. I handle the retail aspect but my main thing is maintance and installations of aquariums. Sorry reefers I also do ponds, spillways, fountains, water features, brackish water and freshwater, I happen to love planted tanks!! I won't even go into my love for reptiles and all other creatures, but I can surely help you out on that note too.
I have worked in multiple places over the years which has given me tons of experience and knowledge but there is always more to learn and that's what keeps me so intrigued and interested. I know way more then the average but in the big picture I don't know much and realizing that helps me continue to learn and expand.
I have done and continue to do maintenance and installs for an array of people and events such as Kelly Ripa, A couple Princes of Saudi Arabia (yes there are multiples in NYC), Cc sabathia, Ben Affleck, Jorge Posada, hedge fund owners, Staten Island Ferry tanks (not the original, actually another MR member and I set them up right before hurricane Sandy and then again after Sandy but they look amazing now) schools, day care centers, hospitals, clinics and a couple movies such as Men In Black and Wolf of Wall Street. I was even flown into Aruba by the Church of Scientology to install a custom Discus tank on their Yacht! Definitley and experience let me tell you, I was sent home with dvds and recieve weekly phone calls still a year later if you want a dvd let me know, it's actually Blu Ray haha, main benefit I got to go on as many free snorkeling trips in bonaire over the weekend as I wanted, Omg amazing I almost passed out every time I dove under because I didn't wanna come back up. Don't worry though I'm not high class, I don't like to shave and you will not break the bank, I'm actually surprised that security even let's me into these places. I am picky on what CONTRACT jobs I take though only because I can only do so many especially now that I manage Pop Corals and I can only do as much as the client is willing to put out for their aquarium, example aptasia problem but you won't buy anything to kill it and I do not want that sort of aquarium associated with me. I can't give you an amazing reef if you wanna use tap water and a canister filter, can that be done absolutely but I'm not your guy. If I'm not 100% percent confident in the equipment on site and we cannot discusse possible options then more then likely I will not have a contract with you. If it is just a random here or there maintance NO CONTRACT then your wish is my command as long as I know I'm not hurting any livestock.
Okay with all that being said, I know most of us on here are hobbyists and enjoy working on our tanks ourselves. If you aren't one of those people and like to enjoy your aquarium without putting in the time and effort to maintain it please feel free to call for an consultation.
And now for the hobbyists, whenever you are on vacation and you need someone to take care of your baby (not the crying pooping type that's out of my league) whether it be water changes or just to feed, top off and keep an eye on livestock while your gone I am always available to do that. In those cases if your aquarium is doing good I prefer to mimic exactly what your doing even if I don't personally practice it. I know first hand we have some unorthodox people on here I don't know I think they are "renegades" or something like that I myself do not "renegade"but if you do and it works for you then I'd rather "renegade" then CHANGE what's working for you because that's where problems occur also I have visited some of these "renegades" aquariums and though not my method I can't knock it when tanks look that good(Dubs), the proof is tank.
last thing I promise, my normal maintance includes cleaning of all panels inside and out (I say panels because I work with glass and acrylic), clean substrate, inspect livestock and equipment, service equipment as needed, change/rinse filter socks and or pads, test parameters, my parameter testing varies between tanks but your gaurenteed ph, salinity, nitrate, nitrite, Ammonia temperature for the fowlrs and reef(if I see a problem I will test others, established tanks I usually do not bother testing nitrites and Ammonia).For the reef tests add calcium, magnesium,alkalinity, phosphate, potassium(our heavy sps guys) to that list. Also every visit I bring with me and fill out a maintenance log with all details to go along with it so you and I have an ongoing record of everything possible from visit to visit and of course recommendations if I feel something isn't right or will help.
If any members on here refer a client to me, in return you come by the store, and we hook you up more then Pop Corals already does which is just unbeatable, obviously a one time job isn't going to get you the same result as a contract but regardless your making out!
Sorry for the long postings, Thanks Allen
